


Charity Case

by avianscribe



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Misunderstandings, brotherhood era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-01-15 05:01:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18491884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avianscribe/pseuds/avianscribe
Summary: When an embargo traps Prompto's parents (and any money they can send him) overseas, he has to rely on the help of others. It's a good thing he has some really good friends! (Until they take it a little too far!)





	1. It’s a Very Bad Day for an Embargo

**Author's Note:**

> A little something I've been noodling on. I plan to do weekly updates!

Prompto could always expect his parents to call him Tuesday afternoon.

This week, the timing couldn't have been better. Rent was due, and the latest utilities bill included a notice that rates were going up… He needed to let his parents know. In fact, he had a little list by the phone of household and financial things that he needed to tell them and didn’t want to forget. They weren’t due back from Altissia for another four weeks.

So when the phone started ringing almost as soon as he got home from school, he was relieved. Still in his uniform, Prompto bounced over to answer. He quickly scanned through his list again before he picked up, just to remind himself.

When his mom said “Prompto, sweetie, there’s an embargo, and we won’t be able to wire money to you for a while” his brain kind of stuttered to a stop.

“...What?” he said with a little chuckle, hoping it was a joke. His mom had a pretty dry sense of humor sometimes.

“The Empire’s throwing their weight around again, and they’ve put an embargo in place during the talks. We can’t wire money to Lucis until it’s lifted.”

It wasn't a joke. Prompto’s heart sank. “But…” he started to say. “Um… Okay. But…” 

“We connected with the landlady and she gave us an extension -- but that doesn't help with utilities. And I just want to be sure you’re getting enough food.”

“O… okay. That’s good about rent, though, I mean… I was going to ask about that.” 

“She said she’ll give us a couple months; everything should be resolved by then. She knows we’re good for it.”

“Yeah,” Prompto said with a forced chuckle. “She’s pretty nice.”

They asked about other things -- school, Prompto's extracurricular activities, Noctis… but it came around again to money.

“About food, sweetie--”

“It’s okay, mom… I can figure something out. I mean, Noct invites me over a lot, and his guy always makes him the best food. I don’t… I don’t wanna ask him for help, though.”

“I know, honey, and it’s going to be tight for a while, but we know you can do this.”

“Yeah, sure, mom,” he said. 

“We wish we were there with you.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Bye! Love you! Don’t forget to take the recycling out!”

“Love you too.” And he hung up.

Freaking Niflheim and their embargos. 

Prompto sniffled a little and wiped at his eyes. He was glad he’d kept it together while he was on the phone. He didn’t want his parents worrying more than they already did.

Prompto was pretty sure his part-time job at the photo shop would be enough for the utilities, but food was definitely gonna be a problem. And toilet paper. And he just ran out of toothpaste. He’d finished off the cereal that morning, and it had been a while since he’d had eggs. He had enough bread and lunch meat to last a couple days of lunches, but he needed dinner, too. 

Prompto glumly scoured the pantry and found exactly two cup noodles and a bag of dried black beans in the back of the cupboard. How had it gotten this bad? He was sure his parents had left him with a full pantry. He scowled at the cooking instructions for the beans and tossed them back into the cupboard. He didn’t have time for that.

Prompto bagged up the recycling and took it to the green bin out the back door, then started rolling the bin out to the street for tomorrow’s pickup. He was too wrapped up in his own mind, though, and wasn't paying attention to the problem slab in the sidewalk -- the one that stuck up a good inch from the others. One of the wheels caught it and the hinge of the bin's lid fell hard against him, striking just under his ribs. He yelped. He scrambled to catch the bin and push it back up, but his eyes watered. He rubbed at his belly and sucked a breath in through his teeth. That was definitely gonna bruise. 

Today was reeeeeeally not his day.

“Prompto!”

He startled and looked up. The landlady was bearing down on him from her front door. If he didn’t already know her well, he’d be running as fast as he could the other direction.

Her duplex was an older home, and she’d spruced up one side of it for renters while she lived in the other side. It was pretty convenient to be able to take the rent next door when it needed paying, but that meant  _ living next to your landlady.  _ Who was wiry, six feet tall, with a Leidan accent and an aura as intimidating as Gladio’s, even though she wasn’t as broad. 

He pasted on a smile and said “Hi, Mrs. B.” Her last name was actually Bellatorium, but she hated people calling her that.

She stopped a little too close to him and folded her arms like she was getting ready to talk Serious Business. Prompto only just kept himself from backing up. “Talked with your mom earlier,” she said. “You doin’ okay?”

“Y… yeah,” he said, a bit taken aback.

She squinted at him a moment, and he tried not to squirm.

“Just so’s you know,” she said, “you don’t have anything to worry about from me; I know your parents are good for the money, and I’d never kick you out. If you were worried.”

Prompto felt his face flush, and he muttered some kind of “thank you” at her. 

“Look, I know you don’t like making waves, but if you find you’re short on food, the Astrals in the Glade Chapel down the way has a food pantry.” She handed him a card and he took it without thinking. “I talked to them when I heard about your situation -- no details, okay? I didn’t give them any details -- and they said just take this to the pantry office and they’ll help you out. No questions asked. Might help tide you over till Niflheim gets their collective ass in gear.” 

Prompto gaped. “Th… thanks, Mrs. B,” he finally blurted out.

She reached out and ruffled his hair. “You’re a good kid. Take care of yourself, y’hear?”

She didn’t wait for his “yes, ma’am”; she just stalked away. 

Prompto stood there kind of stunned for a moment, and watched her go. Then he set the green bin against the curb and turned back to the house. He scanned the card in his hand as he walked. The proper business card side had “Astrals in the Glade” printed in a formal cursive font across the top, the address and contact information in neat columns underneath, with a listing of times for services. The reverse side was a stylized artistic rendering of each of the Six in a circle around a grove of trees. It was kinda pretty. Prompto wasn’t particularly religious, but if the chapel had a place where he could get some toothpaste, he’d throw in a prayer or two to the Astrals, just to say thanks. 

He texted Noctis that he’d be late to their study session. Instead of complaining, Noctis’s return text said it was fine; he was putting in some charity hours this afternoon and wouldn’t be able to get together until around 7 or so anyway. But Ignis was doing pizza tonight. 

Prompto’s heart lifted. Ignis’s pizza was glorious --  _ mountains  _ better than delivery. Whenever Noctis suggested delivery, Ignis almost took personal offense. He’d turn up his nose, push up his glasses, and say “Pizza is at its best fresh from the oven” or something like that, and then… he’d work absolute magic. It was always amazing, no matter what he put on it. (Prompto’s personal favorite was artichoke hearts, spinach, tomato slices and grilled chicken… but he wasn't about to admit that to Noct.)

Prompto changed out of his school uniform and pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of his less-ripped-up jeans (he was going to a church, after all) and then stuck the card in his back pocket and jogged down the street to the chapel. 

The place was kind of a cornerstone of the neighborhood. Prompto passed it on his way to school every day; he just never attended services there. He felt a little guilty about that, but not much. He was glad they were there to help people -- and just as glad he'd never needed their help before. He fervently hoped he wouldn't need it again.

Their food pantry turned out to be a warehouse behind the church proper. It didn’t look that big (it certainly wasn’t bigger than the chapel itself) but his jaw kind of dropped when he entered. The place was fully stocked almost floor to ceiling with all sorts of canned goods and fresh foods and sanitary supplies. The back wall was lined with storage for frozen meats and dairy.

And the people… There were quite a few. Most of them looked like immigrants from Niflheim, which Prompto supposed should make sense. He fit in pretty well here, all things told, even if his circumstances were better than most immigrants could boast. He had Lucian parents, for one, and they took really good care of him. He supposed if things were a little different, he’d be visiting food pantries a lot more often.

Prompto fell into the line at the front, shuffling his feet as they slowly moved forward. When he made it up to the desk, he showed the older lady behind it his card (which she inspected and handed back to him), then she handed him a little sheet to fill out. He checked off what he needed. TP, for sure… toothpaste, soap, dish soap, laundry detergent… Oh, and there’s breakfast cereal and milk. And bread and sliced ham and tuna… he needed something for lunch at school. Apples, maybe. Carrots and celery. He wasn’t sure what he’d do with, like, ground beef or pork roasts or junk like that… he wasn’t really that great at cooking. Hot dogs, though, he could do. Aaaand he’d need some buns and ketchup with them, or they’d just be gross.

When Prompto was sure he’d checked off all he needed (nothing too extravagant, maybe enough for a week; he didn’t want to look greedy), he handed it back to the lady at the desk. She winked at him and made an additional checkmark by “vanilla ice cream”, and then stamped the checklist and gave him a kind smile. He answered with a nervous one of his own. 

Then he grabbed a cart and made his way through the warehouse. He picked up his cans of tuna, a carton of milk, a box of Wheaty O’s… then he wandered over to the aisle with household goods. He picked up a package of toilet paper and squinted at it -- then had to bite back a giggle. The branding literally said “Heavenly Soft” in gentle cursive. He wondered who’d come up with that. He guessed it made sense, for a church food pantry.

The aisles were crowded, and there were quite a few dudes standing around that looked like security. He vaguely wondered what a church needed security for -- then ignored them while he filled his list, packing everything he needed in the cart. He spent too much time around Noctis to worry about security dudes. If he didn’t bother them, they wouldn’t bother him.

Once Prompto had everything he’d asked for, he followed a weary-looking woman towing a couple small kids and a sobbing infant in a car seat to the check-out. While he waited in line, he tinkered with his phone, wondering tiredly if he had enough to cover utilities  _ and  _ keep up his phone contract, or if he’d have to pick up a couple more shifts a week. He couldn’t really afford that -- or rather, his  _ grades _ couldn’t; he was cutting it close as it was. 

The woman guided her cart and her whining kids to the door, and Prompto started piling his own groceries onto the check-out table.

“Prompto?” 

Prompto twitched and looked up. 

Noctis gaped at him from behind the table.

“N… Noct!” Prompto stammered. “What’re you  _ doing _ here?”

“My charity hours,” Noctis said. “What are  _ you _ doing here?”

Prompto grasped desperately for a change of subject. “Wait -- are  _ you  _ why the place is full of beefy security dudes?”

Noctis rolled his eyes. “Well, yeah. Can’t go anywhere without ‘em.” He reached out a hand.

Prompto stared at it.

“Your checklist?” Noctis prompted, and flicked his fingers.

“Oh.” Prompto handed it over. 

Noctis glanced through it, then carefully checked everything off as he bagged it and handed the bags to Prompto to put back in his cart.

Prompto had never felt quite this exposed. Noctis’s expression had settled into what Prompto liked to call “royal neutral” -- the face he made when he needed to be polite but his emotions were on a rampage underneath. Prompto kind of wanted to sink through the floor and just disappear. He knew Noctis wasn’t going to let this go, but he had no idea what shape the storm was going to take.

He and Noct had kind of an unspoken agreement. When they spent time together, it was either homework (gag) or fun -- games, movies, binging the latest on Netpix. Noct’s time with Prompto was time  _ not _ thinking about home and royal responsibilities. So Prompto didn’t talk about his own home stuff, either.

And home things were great, usually. This was just a tough week, thanks to politics. (Which Prompto sure wasn’t anxious to talk to Noctis about  _ either _ , thank you very much.) Now that he thought about it, Prompto wasn’t sure Noctis had ever  _ met _ his parents. Noctis didn’t come over often enough, and they were gone a lot, thanks to work.

And now the silence was getting weird. 

“So, ah…” Prompto said. “We still on for homework ‘n pizza tonight?” 

Noctis eyed him, then seemed to come to a decision. He smiled. “Sure,” he said. “Hey -- you wanna stay the night? We can have pancakes in the morning.”

Prompto laughed (with a touch of nerves). Noct couldn’t be serious; it was a school night. He decided to play along anyway, and said, “You cooking?” 

“Six,  _ no _ . You know what happened the last time I did that.” Noct shuddered. “I’ll talk Ignis into doing it.”

“Dude, you don’t have to do that just for me.”

The look Noctis gave him then was piercing and oddly determined, for the light subject. Prompto swallowed. 

“You’re getting the best damn pancakes on Eos,” Noctis said, and handed over the last bag. 


	2. School Night Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis invites Prompto to a sleepover, and Ignis gets nosy (but also cooks an amazing breakfast).

Carrying bags of groceries home reminded Prompto that he'd bruised his ribs. He'd been fine before, but the groceries were heavy, and his bruised muscles ached with every step. Still, he made it home and put everything away -- it was a relief for the fridge not to be quite so bare anymore -- and then headed to the bathroom and lifted his shirt to check everything out in the mirror. 

He hissed through his teeth. Where the bin's hinge had hit him, there was a clear red line across his ribs. It almost looked like someone had whalloped him with a bat. (Not that he really knew what that looked like, thankfully.) It was just a line now, but it was sure to spread and turn all sorts of lovely colors. It was going to be ugly in the morning.

Prompto took a deep breath and pulled his shirt back down... and spent the rest of the afternoon on homework and  _ not _ thinking about running into Noctis at the food pantry. 

Why Noct would be filling his charity hours so far away from the Citadel or his apartment was beyond him. Prompto’s neighborhood wasn’t exactly walking distance from either. 

As it got later, Prompto wrapped up his botany assignment (get the easy one over first) and had a little (really little; he wanted it to last) scoop of ice cream before digging into his history reading. He wondered what tonight’s study session would look like. He couldn’t imagine Noctis would have been serious about the sleepover. Prompto doubted Ignis would let him get away with it on a school night.

Before he knew it, Noct was texting. 

**Prince Sleepy** [6:26pm] >> hey buddy  
**Prince Sleepy** [6:26pm] >> got off a little early   
**Prince Sleepy** [6:26pm] >> security escorting me home  
**Prince Sleepy** [6:27pm] >> just sent Iggy over to get u

**Prompto** [6:28pm] >> thought iggy was doing pizza

**Prince Sleepy** [6:29pm] >> everything’s ready to put in the oven  
**Prince Sleepy** [6:30pm] >> we’ll bake it when you get here

**Prompto** [6:30pm] >> OMG  
**Prompto** [6:30pm] >> he’s so *amazing* noct

**Prince Sleepy** [6:31pm] >> course he is  
**Prince Sleepy** [6:31pm] >> don't forget to pack for a sleepover

Prompto stared at the text. He was  _ serious?  _

**Prompto** [6:33pm] >> but school tomorrow ??

**Prince Sleepy** [6:34pm] >> yeah and?

**Prompto** [6:35pm] >> shouldn’t it wait for the weekend?

**Prince Sleepy** [6:35pm] >> nope  
**Prince Sleepy** [6:35pm] >> royal decree  
**Prince Sleepy** [6:36pm] >> just bring all your school stuff and uniform

**Prompto** [6:37pm] >> but  
**Prompto** [6:37pm] >> dunno dude u sure its ok?  
**Prompto** [6:38pm] >> will ignis even let us?

**Prince Sleepy** [6:38pm] >> prom  
**Prince Sleepy** [6:38pm] >> iggy’s there just get in the car

And then there was a knock on the door. Prompto hopped up to answer it -- and it was Ignis, all right. He gave Prompto a reserved but genuine smile. “Good evening, Prompto. Prince Noctis has been in touch with you, I presume?”

“Uhh… Yeah.” Prompto couldn’t help but feel tongue-tied; Ignis was so formal all the time. 

“Can I carry anything for you?” Ignis asked.

Prompto bounced backward and held a finger up. “Juuuust a sec! I’m not quite ready.” 

“Of course,” Ignis said. 

Prompto invited him in and pretended not to notice that Ignis was peering around the house with his keen, discriminating eyes. Prompto was doing his best to keep things clean in his parents’ absence, and hoped it lived up to Ignis’s scrutiny. Meanwhile, he popped into his room and stuffed his uniform and toiletries and a pair of sleeping pants into a duffle bag, and collected his books and satchel. 

Prompto grabbed his keys and gave a last glance around to make sure he had everything, and then walked out to find Ignis in the kitchen, opening cabinets. Prompto’s face burned. Ignis was probably noticing how empty everything was, aside from what he'd just picked up at the food pantry. Prompto decided to pretend not to notice, and said, “Um… ready!” 

Ignis sharply closed the cabinet he’d just opened and spun around. If Prompto didn’t know any better, he might have thought he’d actually  _ startled  _ the guy. (Ignis didn’t startle, did he?) Whether Ignis was startled or not, he adjusted his glasses with a finger and said, “Right. May I carry anything for you?” 

“I got it!” Prompto said, lifting both bags for Ignis to see and giving him a smile. 

“Very well.” 

Ignis led Prompto out to a sleek Crown-issue sedan and opened the back door for Prompto to load his bags in, then opened the passenger door for him. 

Prompto swung both his bags in and was just about to hop in himself, then thought of something. “Wait, just a sec…” he said, and then he jogged over to Mrs. B’s door and knocked a quick series of raps. Mrs. B came to the door and smiled when she saw him.

“Hey, Mrs. B,” he said. “I’m staying at a friend’s tonight, so…”

“On a school night?” she said, and raised an eyebrow. 

Prompto smiled and rubbed the back of his head. “Heh heh, yeah, but… he’s a classmate and we're studying tonight. We’ll be good.”

“No worries, kid,” she said. “I trust you. Don’t do anything your parents wouldn’t be proud of. I’ll keep an ear out for anything unusual next door. Like I always do.”

“Sure thing, Mrs. B,” Prompto said. “Be back tomorrow!”

And then he joined Ignis at the car again.

Ignis talked more on the drive than Prompto had ever heard him talk, like,  _ ever _ . It was almost an interrogation. He asked after Prompto’s parents (“they’re fine”), asked how often they were gone (a lot), asked how Prompto had been doing in their latest absence (fine). 

After several questions along that vein, Ignis finally said, “I couldn’t help but notice how bare your kitchen is.”

Okay, aside from that statement being completely intrusive and embarrassing, Prompto wasn't entirely sure what point Ignis was trying to make. But he knew Ignis was a good guy and probably wasn't meaning to offend him. He decided to give Ignis the benefit of the doubt.  “Yeeeah,” he said, and rubbed the back of his head. “I just… didn’t realize how long it had been since I’d got groceries.”

“Noctis said he saw you today.” 

Prompto laughed nervously. “Yeah, that was a surprise.”

“Do you go to the food pantry often?”

Prompto felt his smile drain away, and wondered what Ignis was getting at. “Um… that was my first time, actually.” 

Ignis looked like he wanted to ask more, but they arrived at Noct’s apartment building and instead he navigated to the parking level and then escorted Prompto up to Noct’s apartment. 

As soon as they entered, Noctis was there taking his bags and ushering him into the guest bedroom and showing him all the amenities (as though he’d never seen them before). Noctis seemed a lot more solicitous and eager to please than he usually was, too. 

Then he proudly showed Prompto the pizzas --  both large, one with all meats and one covered with artichoke hearts and full slices of tomatoes and  _ how did they know this was his favorite?? _

Ignis inserted the pizzas into the already-hot oven with a slight flourish (Prompto thought he might actually be showing off) and even though it was only going to be 15 minutes, Noctis talked him into a couple rounds of Marius Racer while they waited. Just as Prompto took out Noct’s racer with a well-timed blue shell, Ignis announced that the pizzas were ready, and they tucked in.

And it was  _ divine. _

“Whoa, Ignis, You’ve outdone yourself!” Prompto said around a mouthful of the artichoke tomato.

“You won’t enjoy it if you choke,” Ignis said.

When they’d managed to eat fully half of the pizza and were finally slowing down, Noctis (reluctantly, but Ignis looked pleased) suggested they work on their Trig assignment, and so they pulled it out while Ignis puttered in the kitchen. Ignis didn't stay much longer; just cleaned up the remains of dinner, and as he was leaving, he reminded Noctis that lights-out needed to be 10, and not to forget that tomorrow’s lunch was already boxed and in the fridge. Then he left.

As the door closed behind Ignis, Noctis turned to Prompto and said, “If we hurry, maybe there’s time to watch Infinity War before midnight.”

Prompto laughed. “What about ‘lights out at 10’? And the way things have been going for me, I dunno… This unit is kicking my tail. I’ll probably still be working on it through lunch tomorrow.” then he sat up with a jerk. “Crud!” he said. “I didn’t bring a lunch with me!”

Noct shrugged. “Don’t worry; Ignis made enough for both of us.”

Prompto gaped at him. “... Really? He didn’t need to do that.”

“I know,” Noct said, looking pleased. “But it wasn’t any more effort to make two. And hey… I’m the one who kinda kidnapped you tonight.”

“Yeah, you really twisted my arm, there,” Prompto said with heavy sarcasm. 

Then they knuckled down and tore into their homework -- and despite Prompto’s worries, had it pretty much done by 9:30. In fact, Noctis moved on to the History reading while Prompto finished up his last equations of Trig. 

And then they were getting pjs on, and swapping time at the bathroom vanity to brush teeth, and then Noctis was fussing over the guest room and bed and Prompto finally had to physically push him out the door, saying “Dude,  _ school tomorrow, _ c’mon” to get him to stop hovering over him.

And then Prompto was alone in Noct’s super-posh guest bedroom. He had been in here plenty, but usually when they had sleepovers they piled blankets and couch cushions in front of the TV and ended up asleep at 5 in the morning with the TV still glowing. Prompto had never actually stayed in this bed. 

He turned the covers down and slipped between sheets that probably had the highest thread count he’d ever known. So smooth and soft. He took a quick moment to set the alarm on his phone. He wondered vaguely when Noctis would be getting up in the morning -- and then remembered that Ignis was usually Noct’s alarm clock. In his last vestiges of wakefulness, he wondered if he’d manage to get up before Ignis got there. Then the comfort of the bed swallowed him.

 

* * *

 

When Prompto’s alarm woke him the next morning, everything was utterly still. He silenced his phone and blinked up at the dark, hazy ceiling that he didn't recognize. It took a moment to remember where he was and why. He jolted up in the fancy bed.

The sudden movement reminded him that his ribs were bruised, and he hissed. He was definitely awake now. He was pretty sure Noctis wasn't, and wouldn't be for a while. He sighed… then decided to get up anyway. 

Prompto liked to go for a morning run, but with the tight security in Noct’s complex (and the fact that Prompto didn’t have a key) he had to resort to calisthenics in the living room. He hoped Noct wouldn’t mind.

He yawned and stretched (slowly, testing how his muscles felt) and headed to the bathroom, then realized that he hadn’t thought to bring workout clothes with him. He thought about just exercising in his boxers, but didn’t really want to risk Ignis walking in on him like that. In the end, he decided to wear his flannel plaid sleeping pants and call it good. They weren’t really good for exercising in, and they’d need a good wash before he tried to sleep in them again, but he supposed that would be okay. 

He stripped off his shirt and took a quick look at his ribs. . And yep, it looked pretty bad now, a swath of blue and purple, and when he poked it, it hurt… but it wasn’t bad enough to really affect his movement. Too much, anyway. He slipped out to the living area, where there was a little more room. He did his stretches, ran in place for a good 30 minutes, and then did a series of cool-down exercises. Just as he was finishing, he heard the front door open. He took some deep breaths, wiped his forehead, and wished he’d grabbed a towel from the bathroom.

He glanced up just in time to see Ignis at the door, hand still on the knob, staring with his mouth slightly agape. 

“Oh, hey, Ignis,” Prompto said, a little disconcerted about being stared at. 

“Where did you get that bruise?” Ignis asked. 

“... What?” Prompto said, and looked down at his ribs. On reflex, he wrapped his arms around himself. “Oh. I, ah. Got that when our recycle bin fell on me when I took it out yesterday.”

“It looks… painful.”

“Yeah, it really hurt. But it’s mostly fine now; it just looks awful.”

“... If you say so.” Ignis looked thoughtful, and was silent for a moment. Then he said, “It's time to wake Noct, and then I’ll make some breakfast. How do you like your eggs?”

“Oh, you don’t need to do anything fancy for me--”

“I insist.” Ignis’s face was all firm determination.

“Um.” Prompto said under his stare. “Overeasy? With toast?” 

“Will pancakes be sufficient?”

“You don’t have--”

“Prompto. I’m not doing anything I wouldn’t already do for Noct.”

Prompto’s mouth stayed open for a moment. Then he said, “Okay. If… if you’re already making them. Don’t wanna let them go to waste!” 

“Very good.” Ignis gave a satisfied smile. “Now, would you mind waking His Royal Highness while I get started?” 

Prompto grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Sure thing!” he said, and he headed directly to Noctis’s room.

Prompto had only been allowed the honor of waking Noctis once before, and he had enjoyed every freaking minute of it. He was going to make the most of it this time. He marched into the room, not bothering to be quiet, and pulled the blinds open with a swift tug. 

“Rise and shine, Your Royal Sleepiness!” he announced, and then yanked the comforter from the bed with a flourish, exposing Noctis curled around a pillow. Noct squeezed his eyes tightly closed against the light of dawn bathing his bed. He grumbled, and then rolled over, still clutching the pillow. At that moment, Prompto threw himself onto the edge of the bed. He precisely hit a point that would give the mattress maximum bounce (he knew, because he’d surreptitiously practiced this before) and he was super lucky with his trajectory this time, because it launched Noctis at least a foot in the air in a neat arc that carried him over the edge of the bed. He made an unprincely but decidedly hilarious yelp and landed on the floor with a bump.

Prompto panicked. “You okay?” he asked, and peered over the edge of the bed.

“No thanks to  _ some people,”  _  Noct grumbled faintly from the floor.

“Ignis is making pancakes,” Prompto said. “You wanna shower first?” 

“Nnnngh,” Noct said. “Might help me wake up.” Or at least Prompto thought that’s what he said; he’d mumbled into his pillow, which he’d somehow managed to keep hold of when he flew off the bed.

“Sure thing, dude,” Prompto said. “Better not fall back to sleep!” Then he returned to his own room. 

“Is everything all right in there?” Ignis called from the kitchen. The smell of hotcakes already permeated the apartment. (And bacon. Had Ignis said anything about bacon? Prompto’s mouth started watering in earnest.) 

“Everything’s fine!” Prompto answered. “But you might wanna check on Noct in a minute; I don’t think he’s really awake yet.”

“Naturally.”

But Noctis actually did get up and blearily stumbled into the bathroom. Prompto rounded up his own toiletries and uniform so they’d be ready when Noct was done, and then pulled out his History textbook for a quick review.

Noct didn’t take long in the shower, and soon he was dressed and out and squeezing gel into his hand to style his hair in front of his mirror. Since his bathroom was super-fancy and had a separate vanity outside the bathing area, he called to Prompto, who squeezed past him into the bath part and closed the door behind him.

Then Prompto, who had never used Noct’s shower despite his having stayed overnight a lot, had the most luxurious shower he had ever experienced. Noct’s bath was fitted with one of those rain-simulating shower heads, and in addition to looking super-fancy, it just… felt  _ really nice. _ He resisted the impulse to just stand there under the water, and instead, he quickly got clean (making use of Noct’s salon-grade shampoos and body wash) and then quickly toweled down and dressed himself. 

“Everything’s just about ready,” Ignis called when he came out of the bath. Breakfast smelled divine -- just like everything Ignis ever cooked -- but Prompto couldn't eat just yet. He quickly styled his hair and straightened his collar. He'd put his tie on later; he didn't want to risk spilling breakfast on it.

When Prompto walked into the kitchen, Noctis was sitting at the counter on a barstool, and Ignis stood on the other side, plating the food. They had their heads close together, whispering to each other -- but as soon as Prompto entered, they pulled apart. Noct eyed him with a concerned expression that Prompto couldn’t puzzle out. 

But then Ignis handed him a plate heaped with a stack of pancakes, a couple beautifully-turned eggs, and four full slices of crispy bacon. “Whoooah,” Prompto said. “This is a better breakfast than I  _ ever  _ eat on a school day.”

Noct and Ignis exchanged a look, but it was quickly gone -- and then they were bringing their own plates to the table, along with a little pitcher of what Prompto assumed was genuine syrup, and a bowl which turned out to be a deliciously tart marmalade. 

Prompto ate his eggs first, and sopped the yoke up with one of the pancakes. Then he split the rest of the stack in two and poured syrup over one half and dolloped marmalade over the other. He savored it with little moans of happiness. He caught Noctis looking at him with a soft smile he couldn't interpret. He chose to ignore it.

“Iggy, you’ve outdone yourself!” he exclaimed, and crunched his last slice of bacon. 

“Not at all,” Ignis insisted. “It’s just a regular morning’s breakfast. Now, if you two don’t mind, you have two minutes before we need to be on our way, or you’ll be late.”

“Six!” Prompto exclaimed. “Sorry!” He grabbed his plate and headed to the sink to rinse it so it could go in the dishwasher, but Ignis took it from him and shooed him out of the kitchen to gather his things. 

Then they were on their way. 

Ignis had driven him home from school before, but this was his first time being driven  _ to _ school -- and he couldn’t help but notice that Ignis took all the priority lanes, and the lights always turned in his favor. Prompto wondered if that was a priority lane thing or an Ignis thing.

They pulled up to the school at just the right time and Prompto thanked Ignis again for breakfast and Noctis gave Ignis a wordless wave and turned away. As they approached the school, Prompto said “Hey, thanks for inviting me over.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Noctis said. Then he hesitated. “We could… You know, we could do that more often.”

“What, really?” Prompto said. “You really think that’s a good idea? Even on school nights?” 

Noct shrugged. “I mean, if you don’t want to…” 

“I think it would be awesome!” Prompto said. “I mean, if it’s okay. Cuz you have, like, royal stuff a lot.”

“I mean… you could hang at my place even if I’m not there.” He was rubbing at the back of his neck, and looked a little embarrassed.

Prompto just looked at him. “I dunno what you mean.” 

“... Don’t worry about it,” Noct said. “We’ll talk later.” 

And then they were inside, thrust into the chaos of the regular school day.


	3. It's All the Little Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noct and Ignis do their level best to make Prompto's life easier (and awesome).

Noct was pretty quiet all day -- and that was saying a lot. They enjoyed their Ignis-made lunch and played more King’s Knight and dove into their afternoon classes, but Noct chatted less and brooded more than usual. Then it was time to go home. And by home, that meant that Prompto would run past Noct’s house to grab his overnight bag and then he’d head to his own place to get ready for his work shift.

Noct slowed as they approached the car. “You know… you could stay, if you want.’

“Stay?”

“You’re always welcome at my place if you need a place to go.”

Prompto stared. “Well, yeah, dude,” he finally said, not sure why Noct was being weird. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

“... Right.” Noct looked at the ground. “You… you want to stay over again tonight?”

“Um…” Prompto thought about his work shift. “I can’t tonight. I mean, two sleepovers in a school week -- isn’t that a bit much?” and he laughed.

“... Yeah… I guess.”

“Besides, I gotta use that food I got from the pantry before it goes bad.”

“Sure. But hey… If you’re out of food again, just… say something. You don’t have to go back there.”

Prompto chuckled. “Don’t worry! I don’t plan to make that a regular thing.”

Noct looked at him, his expression unreadable.

“Hey, I’ll come grab my stuff, but I’ve got a shift this afternoon. Can Ignis drop me off at my house?”

“I'll ask him to,” Noct said. And they headed out.

 

* * *

 

Prompto’s shift was the same-old same-old. Super chill, and just busy enough to make it interesting. He was still glad to be done in the end, and grabbed his things from the back, ready for the bus ride home. At least he’d had the foresight to get a bus pass, so he didn’t need to pay the fare every day… and work had pitched in to help him buy one, which was a nice bonus. The shop doors swung open under his hand and he bounced out -- and then stumbled to a stop.

Ignis stood there waiting outside his car like he did at school for Noct. “Good evening, Prompto,” he said. “Would you like a ride?”

Prompto swallowed. “Uh… I guess? Since you’re here, and all. But -- you really didn’t need to.” He waved his bus pass.

“I know that.” Ignis gave him a small smile -- one that softened his face just a little. “Noctis thought you might find this more comfortable.”

Prompto laughed nervously. “You sure I’m not, like, messing up your schedule or anything?”

Ignis chuckled. “I assure you, I have attended to all my pressing business. This is no trouble at all.”

Prompto didn’t quite believe that… but Ignis was still standing there, waiting, and Prompto was wasting his valuable time by not doing anything. So after a pause, Prompto said, “If you say so.”

Ignis opened the passenger door for him and closed it behind him after he climbed in, and Prompto almost giggled at being treated like royalty. He’d seen Ignis do the same for Noctis, and… Prompto just wasn’t really deserving. Ignis settled in the driver’s seat and buckled, put his hands on the wheel at a perfect 2-and-10 position, and glanced towards Prompto. “Noctis wanted me to extend the invitation to spend the night again, if you like.”

Prompto’s jaw dropped open. “But… it’s a school night,” he said weakly. That hadn’t really stopped him last night but. Two nights in a row? And he’d already told Noctis no. “It’s okay, really…” he said.

“Very well,” Ignis said, and drove him home.

When they arrived to his dark house, Ignis looked thoughtful. Prompto tried not to look at him, but gathered his work things and gave a quick “Thanks for the ride, Ignis,” and bounced out of the car.

Just as Prompto started to close the door, Ignis cleared his throat and said “Prompto?”

Prompto stopped himself just in time and stuck his head back in. “Yeah?”

“I’m making croquettes for Noct’s lunch tomorrow, and it’s just as easy to make a larger batch as a small one… would you like me to put a lunch together for you as well, and send it with Noct?”

“Err…” Prompto said, thinking of the sliced ham he got for lunches from the food pantry. He hated it to go to waste, and this would be the second day in a row that he was getting lunch from Ignis. But Ignis’s cooking really was amazing. And he had _offered._ “Yeah, sure!” Prompto said.

“Excellent,” Ignis said, sounding pleased. “Until tomorrow then.”

“Right!” Prompto said, and closed the door.

Ignis waited in the driveway while Prompto unlocked the front door. Prompto waved as he pushed the door open, and Ignis gave a little salute before he backed out. Prompto watched him drive away. “Huh,” he said, and then went inside.

 

* * *

 

Ignis was as good as his word. The next day, he sent a second lunch with Noctis. It was neater-looking than any lunch Prompto had ever made for himself -- and loads tastier, too. Noctis chuckled softly at him as he chowed down like a starving man. “Six, Noct,” Prompto said, “how do you stay slim when Ignis cooks like this for you _every day?”_

“Gladio knocks it out of me in _training_ every day,” Noct said with exaggerated bitterness.

“If I eat like this any more, I’ll have to get training, too.”

“I… could probably arrange that,” Noct said, thoughtfully.

Prompto eyed him. “You can’t be serious.”

“I actually am,” Noct said with more confidence.

“That would be _so sweet!”_ Prompto said, half-smiling. He couldn’t believe it! Work out with Noct’s _Shield_ as his personal trainer? Gladio was… well, _all_ the Amicitias were legendary. Getting lessons from Gladio would be…

“Be prepared to _die,”_ Noct said. “Gladio doesn’t pull any punches.”

Prompto wilted a little. Then he perked up. “If you’re _serious_ serious, that would be amazing. But… Are you sure that would be okay?”

Noct gave him a half-smile. “Yeah,” he said.

 

* * *

  

At the end of school, Noct offered a sleepover again.

“Dude,” Prompto said. “You lonely?”

“You think I like living in an apartment by myself?”

“Ignis is over there all the time.”

“Yeah, but he still goes home at night.”

Prompto stopped in his tracks and gave Noctis a skeptical look. “I thought you got the apartment so you could _be_ alone.”

Noctis shrugged. “Yeah, well, sometimes it’s nice to have company. Like this week. This week I feel like company.”

Prompto shook his head. “Tomorrow’s a history test. I gotta rest up so I can kill it.”

“We could study together,” Noctis said, his voice small and hopeful. “I could get Ignis to help.”

Prompto started walking again, and Noctis followed him. “Dude, I’m not Ignis’s job,” Prompto said with a chuckle.

Noctis bumped his shoulder. “Yeah, but I am.”

“You don’t need it, and he’d see right through you,” Prompto said, shoving Noct’s shoulder back.  “You’ve had so much Lucian History in private lessons, you could take this test in your sleep and _still_ pass. One of us hasn’t had royal tutors since he was _five_ , man.”

“Ignis wouldn’t mind.”

Prompto gave him The Look.

“All right, all right,” Noct said, waving a hand. “But tomorrow night for sure. Game night AND sleepover. You won’t miss it, right?”

“You kidding? I’d never miss game night!” Then he stopped. “Oh wait… I have a morning shift Saturday.”

“We’ll get you there,” Noct said.

“Then you’re on!” And Prompto raised his fist.

Noct gave him a soft fist-bump and headed to Ignis’s waiting car.

 

* * *

 

Prompto hadn’t really wanted to turn Noct’s offer down, but he knew they’d get distracted, and he really did need to study. He did as thorough a job as he could -- with the occasional text to Noctis about various facts he was missing in his notes, partly to prove to Noctis that he’d been serious. Then he turned in for an early night just like he’d told Noct he intended to. Just before he climbed in bed, his phone chimed.

 **Prince Sleepy** [10:17pm] >> talked Ignis into making curry for lunch tomorrow  
 **Prince Sleepy** [10:17pm] >> ill bring u some

Prompto squinted at his phone.

 **Prompto** [10:18pm] >> i didn’t think you liked curry that much

 **Prince Sleepy** [10:19pm] >> it’s your favorite

 **Prompto** [10:19pm] >> well yeah, but  
 **Prompto** [10:19pm] >> its not my lunch dude

 **Prince Sleepy** [10:20pm] >> well now it is cuz im bringing you some tomorrow  
 **Prince Sleepy** [10:21pm] >> see you

Prompto’s mouth dropped open. What was going on? It’s not like it was a special occasion. His birthday was weeks ago. So why would Noctis have Ignis make _Prompto’s_ favorite food for lunch?

And what was he going to do with the ham in the fridge? He hummed as he set his alarm and finally settled on giving himself an extra fifteen minutes in the morning to pull together an Ignis-style ham-and-eggs breakfast. The thought had him drooling already and he fell asleep with happy thoughts.

 

* * *

  

Prompto arrived at school the next morning pleasantly full and energized for the day, and glad to have found a use for his ham, since Noctis seemed determined to prevent him from making his own lunches. His breakfast just had toast instead of pancakes (he didn’t quite feel ready to tackle those), but he’d felt like a proper chef.

He wasn’t so full that he couldn’t eat the generous serving of curry Noct warmly presented him at lunch. He did, however, contemplate the empty container when he was finished, wondering again what effect his increased exposure to Ignis’s cooking was going to do to his waistline.

“Hey,” Noct said, nudging his shoulder. “I asked Gladio if he would, you know, give you some self-defense training and junk.”

Prompto looked up at him. “You did?”

“Gladio said it would be fine.”

“No way! Really? But, like… when?”

“Well, his schedule’s busy, but maybe… Saturdays? When I have my afternoon training.”

“I dunno, dude, I usually have Saturday shifts.”

“Okay, then… we’ll find a different time. But he said he’d be willing to whip you into shape.”

“That’s…” Prompto almost teared up. “That’s so cool of you, Noct!  You sure an Amicitia’s okay working with a plebe?”

“You’re not a plebe,” Noct said, and gave his shoulder a gentle punch.

“Pretty sure I’m exactly the definition of a plebe, Noct.” Noct grumbled a little, but Prompto smiled at him. “You sure he’s okay to work with me?”

“Yeah, Gladio’s cool about it,” Noctis said, leaning back and clasping his hands behind his head. “I told him lots of good things about you. He likes that you run every morning.”

“Gotta keep up my trim figure,” Prompto said, flexing a little, and Noctis chuckled. Prompto looked into his empty lunch again. “If Ignis keeps giving me all this good food, I’ll definitely need something to help me burn it off.”

“Well, Gladio can help us make sure you keep in shape.”

“Yeah, “ Prompto said, with a little chuckle. “Hey, thanks for lunch, dude. It was great.”

Noct gave him a fond smile. “I was glad to.”

 

* * *

 

Noctis let Prompto go home first but told him on no uncertain terms that Ignis would pick him up at 5 PM _sharp._ Prompto had plenty of time to get home and round up everything he thought he might need, and then Ignis was texting (Noct had given him Prompto’s number, apparently)  to announce he had arrived, and Prompto was on his way.

It was a typical game night, except that Gladiolus Amicitia sauntered in at about 7.

Prompto knew who Gladio was, of course, but had mostly only seen him on TV when Noctis had public appearances. His Crownsguard uniform, severe expression, and _all the muscles_ made him look impassive and intimidating. Prompto had met him in person once, when he showed up to retrieve Noctis from an illicit afternoon at the arcade.

That had been kind of terrifying.

Tonight, Gladio let himself in. His footsteps thundered down the hallway. He entered Noct’s kitchen, a massive wall, and gave a casual “Hey, Iggy,” to Ignis, who was stirring a pot of chili at the stove.

Prompto tensed and looked up. Then Noct mercilessly mowed down his avatar and he yelped, “No fair!”

Noct just laughed at him, and Gladio chuckled, too -- a bass rumble. He dropped onto Noct’s couch between him and Prompto, stretched his massive legs in front of him and leaned back, lacing his fingers together behind his head, with his elbows sticking out, and no regard for anyone else’s personal space.

“So this is the kid Noct wants me to train,” he said, eyeing Prompto.

“Y… yeah?” Prompto answered hesitantly.

“Noct told me Saturdays don't work for you. Think you have a couple hours on Monday night?”

Prompto perked up. “Yeah, I think that would work! I mean, I don’t have a shift this Monday.”

Gladio nodded. “Noct and I usually have a bout or two around seven. You could come watch, and then take your turn right after.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I'm sure.”

“That… seems like a lot. For you, I mean.”

“What, you think an Amicitia couldn't take on two toothpicks like you guys back to back? I wouldn't be worth my salt.”

And so it was set.

It turned out that Gladio on Game Night was friendly and casual and relaxed, and a good deal less intimidating than behemoth-angry Gladio looking for his delinquent prince in an arcade. The evening was a blast, even with Gladio laughing at their attempts to destroy one another in their game. Ignis’s chili dogs (topped with caramelized onions and loads of cheese and sour cream) were _amazing,_ and they all stayed up way too late watching a dumb spy thriller that Gladio and Ignis ruined by picking apart the tactics. Prompto wondered a little if they were giving away state secrets by talking spy technique with him around, but Noct assured him it was fine.

Gladio and Ignis left before midnight (with Ignis promising to return in the morning and drive Prompto wherever he needed to go) and Prompto got the spare room again.

The next morning, Noct was nowhere to be seen but Prompto was up and ready in plenty of time before Ignis arrived to drive him to his shift. Ignis even gave him a deliciously flaky fruit pastry to eat on the way. Later in the morning, Noct texted an apology for not seeing him off. Prompto laughed and texted back a jibe about his terrible hospitality.

 **Prompto** [11:12am] >> but u know Ignis was amazing  
 **Prompto** [11:12am] >> maybe i should stay at his place

 **Prince Sleepy** [11:13am] >> traitor

Then later,

 **Prince Sleepy** [11:37am] >> I’d have you over tonight but  
 **Prince Sleepy** [11:37am] >> there’s a royal thing at the citadel tomorrow

 **Prompto** [11:41am] >> that’s okay, bro  
 **Prompto** [11:42am] >> it’ll give me a chance to actually use some of that food i got at the pantry

“Argentum! You’re not texting on the job, are you?”

His boss was usually cool about phone use when it wasn’t busy -- but today the place was crowded. Prompto gave a high and nervous giggle. “No way, not me!” he said, and shoved his phone into his back pocket. After a minute, he felt it buzz, but he dutifully left it alone.

When he checked it later on his break, he found that Noct had sent him some nonsense about groceries that he wasn't sure how to interpret, so he ignored it. What did Noct know about buying groceries, anyway? Ignis did that for him. Prompto wasn’t even sure Noctis had seen the inside of a proper grocery store.


	4. Working It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto gets a work out...!

Sunday was Prompto’s only sleep-in day and he enjoyed it thoroughly. He even let himself lapse on his morning run, knowing that Monday night he'd be facing Gladio for the first time.

Yeah, _that_ prospect wasn't terrifying.

He went all out on breakfast, and tried his hand at scrambled eggs (he even looked up a demo video) with fried ham and toast. Then he had an easy day, reviewing history and Trig and botany, and getting a couple rounds of King's Knight. Noct wasn't online; He had some official royal thing all day.

In the early afternoon, Prompto’s parents called. It wasn’t their usual calling day, and the weariness in his mom’s voice was not a good sign.

“Sweetie, the embargo’s still on,” she said, almost first thing.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’ve been following the news.”

“And it looks like our return trip has been set back -- possibly another couple weeks. Some complication with permits.”

“... Okay.” So instead of coming home in three and a half weeks, like they’d planned, they’d be… five. Okay. He could do this. He was okay.

“We just want to make sure you’ll be all right, sweetie.” Prompto could even imagine the little crease that must be forming between her eyes. She sounded so worried.

“Mrs. B has been keeping track of me,” he said. “I’ll be fine.” He picked the card for Astrals in the Grove up from by the phone and twirled it between his fingers.

“You getting enough to eat?”

“Am I _ever,_ ” Prompto said. “It’s like Noct’s made me his personal project. His… advisor? I think that’s what Ignis is. Anyway, Ignis keeps sending an extra lunch with Noct. I haven’t eaten food this good since we went to Aunt Delphia’s house for the Glacian’s Midwinter Festival.”

That got his mom to chuckle finally. “I’m so glad you have such good friends,” she said.

“Yeah,” he said thoughtfully. “Me too.”

 

* * *

 

Ignis picked Prompto up from his house at 6:30 pm sharp Monday night to drive him to the Citadel.

They somehow managed to avoid the tail-end of rush-hour traffic (Prompto guessed it was Ignis’s brilliant navigating skills). They pulled into the underground parking and navigated the Citadel’s long hallways and elevators; all the while, Prompto’s athletic duffle bounced against his back.

And, mortifyingly, he couldn’t stop himself from blathering on about everything he saw. “My grade-school class got a tour of _that_ wing back in third grade, the docent tried to tell us about the art but Silus kept lobbing spitballs in the back of the group and all I could hear was Marea and Tulia complaining about it getting in their hair, and…”

He was nervous, that was it. He was nervous about training with Gladio and it was making him ramble on and on about stupid stuff and _why couldn’t he just shut up??_

But Ignis just hummed in encouragement and didn’t make fun of him for anything; just led him to a wing he’d never seen before, even with Noct.  They arrived at a set of double doors, and Ignis opened one of them to let Prompto enter.

He walked into a gymnasium.

At least, that’s what Prompto supposed it was. It didn’t look like any gym _he’d_ ever set foot in. It was lined with marble columns and the floor was groomed sand, disrupted only by the footprints of the two now sparring in the center of it.

Neither Gladio nor Noctis acknowledged that anyone had entered; they were fully focused on each other. They both held massive wooden greatswords. Gladio swung his effortlessly, Noctis less so; his whole body heaved into every swing to compensate for the practice sword’s weight. Prompto wondered idly if Gladio would have _him_ working with swords, too -- and then his mind froze, too terrified to even consider it.

He gaped at the two of them, winced at each clack of the swords hitting each other, gasped when Gladio caught Noctis with a carefully-timed thrust that sent him sprawling.

“Again!” Gladio boomed.

Noctis clambered to his feet, rolled his shoulders, and reset his stance.

This went on for another half-hour, at which point Gladio had Noctis switch to stretches and cool-downs. Then he finally turned his attention to Ignis and Prompto on the sidelines.

“You ready to go, Blondie?” he said.

Prompto gave a shaky laugh. His anxiety was spiking already, but he couldn’t very well admit that. Instead, he held up his duffle. “Ah, I should probably change.”

“This way,” Ignis said.

The gym’s dressing rooms were just as fancy as the rest of the Citadel, and Prompto really shouldn’t have been surprised. Ignis showed him to a dressing cubicle with a free locker. “This one has been assigned to you,” he said. “You may keep your fitness attire here, if you like. Just don’t lose the key.”

“What, _really?”_ Prompto said. “ _Keep_ it here?”

Ignis smiled. “It was His Highness’s wish. And it would be convenient for you, too, for your training.”

… Oh. So this training with Gladio… was going to be a long-term thing?

Worry had wormed its way into Ignis’s expression. “... If that is what you wish, of course,” he said.

Prompto hurried to reassure him. “Yeah! Yeah, that’s… that’s great! I just… I thought this training with Gladio would be, like, a couple times, is all. I mean,” and he rubbed the back of his head, “I’m pretty sure he’s got more important things than to help _me_ out, you know? He barely knows me, and it’s not like--”

“Prompto.”

He looked at Ignis and was surprised by the older teen’s intensity.

“It was His Highness’s wish,” Ignis repeated. “And… we are glad to help you out with _anything_ you might require. You need only ask.”

“... Okay.”

Prompto felt like he was missing something important here. But he didn’t want to make Gladio wait any longer than he had to, so he entered the dressing cubicle and got himself changed, giving the locker an awed once-over before hanging his day clothes inside. He snapped it closed, then took the key. It had a fancy safety-pin attached to it, so he pinned it to the inside waistband of his workout pants. Then he made his way out of the locker room. Ignis waited for him at the entrance, and gestured to the sand.

While he’d been changing, Gladio had raked the sand in the center of the arena smooth. Noctis was off in a corner doing more stretches. Gladio was just leaning the rake against a wall, and then gestured for Prompto to join him.

Then he had the best (worst) workout of his _life._

There were stretches and poses and running and crunches and burpees and he was sweating in the first two minutes and dying after fifteen. Gladio must have sensed it because he switched to a less-intense set with small hand weights and Prompto worked muscles he didn’t know he even _had._ Then Gladio had him do a cool-down routine. Swords didn’t even make an appearance, much to Prompto’s relief.

At the end, Prompto’s limbs felt like water. Gasping, he flopped onto the sand and stared at the ceiling. Gladio’s head eclipsed the lights when he leaned over him. “Good work, kid. You’ve got some promise.”

Prompto gave him a wavering smile and a thumbs up.

Then Gladio offered him a hand up. “There’s showers in the locker room,” he said, and gave Prompto a hearty pat on the shoulder that almost knocked him to the floor again. “Noct’s already in there. Why don’t you get cleaned up, and then we can set up a regular schedule for you.”

“A regular… schedule?” Prompto said, swaying slightly as he tried to keep his legs from giving out on him.

“Yeah. I mean, that was a first-level Crownsguard trainee workout, and you did better than most of our recruits. I think you have promise. You definitely have a good work ethic.”

“Wait… me? Crownsguard?”

“Yeah,” Gladio said with a smile. “Noct could use a friend on his team. Besides, the Crownsguard salary is pretty good. The Crown likes to take care of its people.” There was something fierce in Gladio’s expression.

“I just…” Prompto hesitated in front of the door to the locker room. “I never thought about it before. I mean. I’m just a...” Just a student. Just a kid, really. A plebe. An adopted immigrant with an unknown history, who just happened to be friends with Lucis’s Crown Prince, on accident. He noticed he was fingering his striped wristband and made himself stop.

“Well, you don’t have to decide now,” Gladio said, and clapped a hand on his shoulder again. “But… give it some thought. I think Noct would… Noct would like it if you did.”

Prompto slowly smiled. “I will!”

He wondered what his parents would think of _this!_

In the locker room, Prompto could hear the hiss of the shower in the back. He guessed Noctis was washing up already. Prompto didn’t have any shower things. He hadn’t thought to bring anything with him besides his workout clothes. But before he could wonder about soap and resign himself to drip-drying, Ignis appeared and handed him a towel (“There are bins for soiled linens near the showers…”) and told him each shower stall had shampoo and soap dispensers. He pointed him towards a private stall (Prompto was intensely relieved that there wasn’t a communal shower here) and let him be.

The gym shower wasn’t as nice as the one in Noct’s luxury apartment, but it was still better than Prompto’s at home. He didn’t want to waste anyone’s time, though, so he quickly got himself clean. Noctis was done by the time he turned off his own water, and he just wrapped a towel around his waist and quickly darted to his dressing cubicle. Once dressed, he dropped his towel in the bin Ignis had pointed out, and then exited out into the gym area again. Gladio, Ignis, and Noctis were all there, heads together, but they stopped talking and looked up when he came out. He couldn’t quite read their expressions, but they seemed to be discussing something serious.

Noctis waved him over. “Wanna grab a burger, or something?” he said.

Prompto’s stomach took that moment to growl loudly, to his great mortification.

Gladio chuckled. “Let’s get you some calories, kid,” he said. “You’re a stick.”

“Aww, I’m not _that_ bad,” he said. “I came here to _work off_ the calories, not eat them.”

“You don’t have anything on you to lose,” Gladio said, and he looked a little concerned.

And of course, Gladio didn’t _know;_ hadn't seen what he’d been like _before,_ so Prompto didn’t blame him… but old habits are easy to slip back into, and Ignis’s cooking was _just that good_ and he’d had _just enough of it_ to worry a little. So Prompto really was glad that Gladio was giving him a chance to work some of the calories off again.

“I’m fine,” he said. “Thanks, Gladio. For letting me train with you.”

“Anytime, kid.” He still looked worried.

“So,” Noctis said, “the Citadel cafeteria has the _best_ grill. Better than Kenny’s.”

“If by that you mean _more expensive,_ you’re probably right,” Prompto said, nudging Noctis with his elbow.

“Heh, maybe I’ll join you,” Gladio said, and ruffled Prompto’s hair.

“Hey!” he said, and swatted at Gladio’s monster hands.

So they headed to the Citadel’s legendary cafeteria (“It’s on the house,” Noctis said, when Prompto looked nervously at the cash register) and to Prompto’s great surprise, Noctis was right; the grill there _was_ better than Kenny’s. They ate and laughed (well, Noctis and Gladio and Prompto laughed; Ignis just smiled now and then), and Gladio talked to Prompto about how good it would be for him to have weekly workouts. He tried to talk him into two or even three times a week, but Prompto knew he couldn’t manage that around his work schedule and school. When it started getting kind of late, Prompto made a noise or two about going home.

Noctis’s smile faded a little. But then he brightened. “Hey, what would you like for lunch tomorrow?”

“Uhhh…” Prompto said, glancing between Noctis and Ignis, who had perked up as well. “I was just gonna bring a ham sandwich.”

“Nonsense,” Ignis said. “I’ll make up some Galahdian-style meat-and-vegetable skewers. There’s a recipe I’ve been meaning to try.”

“That sounds great,” Noctis said, and turned to Prompto.

Who thought of his package of ham at home, nearing its “use by” date.

But Noctis and Ignis both were looking at him expectantly, and they both looked so excited, and what else was he going to do? This was _Ignis’s food_ , after all. “Okay,” he said. “Yeah, that sounds pretty good!”

“Great, kid,” Gladio said.

Gladio walked them down to Ignis’s car, and just as Prompto was about to swing his duffle in, Gladio put a hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “Hey,” he said. “Here’s my number.” And he gave Prompto a little slip of paper with a handwritten phone number that Prompto was pretty sure he didn’t have a high enough security clearance to _have._ “You call me if you’re ever in trouble, alright? Anyone’s mistreating you, you let me know.”

Prompto was stunned for a moment. He’d… never really had trouble like that. Everyone at school -- the troublemakers, especially -- knew better than to mess with him, because he was close friends with the Crown Prince and had been since the start of the school year. Who else was gonna mess with him, anyway? Plus, he was pretty darned fast, if he did say so himself, and knew how to run away from trouble. But he smiled and took Gladio’s number and said “Thanks! I appreciate it!”

Gladio nodded and looked satisfied. “You’re welcome at the Amicitia Manor anytime, you know, if you need a place to go.”

That was… weird. They barely knew each other, and Prompto was pretty sure that his being Noct's friend didn't automatically give him instant access to all of Noct’s retainers, too. But it was definitely generous, so… he finally blurted out, “... Sure thing!”

Gladio might be intimidating, but he sure was nice. 


	5. A Little (Too Much) Help From Your Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Prompto's food starts running out, he makes another run to the food pantry...

Tuesday’s phone call with his parents was pretty routine. Their situation was the same. They were increasingly anxious for his well-being, especially with bills coming up. He did his best to reassure them (even though he was worried too). They asked about school and life, and that’s when he had to admit, “It’s… getting kinda weird.” 

“Oh?” his mom said.

“Yeah, Noct’s like… It’s like suddenly he doesn’t want to be alone. He keeps asking me to stay over at his place. And he’s always having Ignis cook for me now. I mean, I got some stuff from the food pantry, you know, and I’ve hardly been able to use any of it; I’m afraid it’s gonna go to waste!” 

“That’s so sweet that he’s trying to take care of you!” 

“Yeah, but… it’s, like,  _ weird _ weird. Sleepovers on school nights?”

And of  _ course  _ she had to pull out the Mom Voice. “As long as you’re being responsible and not staying up too late…” 

Prompto rolled his eyes. “We were, Mom, we just studied ‘till ten and went to bed.”

“Good.”

Prompto poked at the spot in the wall where the paint was starting to peel. “He even got me some training sessions with his Shield? You know, Gladiolus Amicitia?” 

“The Amicitias?” His mom’s voice was filled with more than a little awe.

“Y… yeah. Like, he had me over at the Citadel for a whole training session and everything. And Gladio wants me to keep at it; like, he wants me to apply for the Crownsguard.”

“That’s so neat, sweetie.”

“Yeah…” It was pretty awesome, but he couldn’t help thinking it was  _ too much. _ And he wasn’t sure he’d really earned it yet. He and Noct hadn’t been friends for  _ that _ long.

“Well, he sounds like a really good friend. We’re glad he’s watching out for you.” 

“Yeah, me too.” 

“If you want to do the Crownsguard thing, that’s totally up to you. It’s dangerous work.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen some of what they go through.” Well, only kind of. He’d seen one of Noct’s workouts with Gladio. He’d been through one of his own. He’d seen times when Noctis had had to leave school early under guard because he had to go on lockdown for one threat or another. He’d seen the uniformed security around Noctis on televised Royal Events. Crownsguards were supposed to put the Prince’s life above their own, always.

Prompto was pretty sure he was willing to do that.

“Well, he’s been a good friend to you,” his mom said, “and if it’s something you want, we’ll support you.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Prompto smiled softly.

She sighed. “We’ve gotta run, but we’ll keep you posted on how things are going. We’ll see if we can’t get a secure package to you -- maybe slip some money in it.”

“Yeah, well… don’t do anything illegal,” Prompto said.

His mom chuckled. “You be good, too.”

“I will, Mom.” 

 

* * *

 

On Thursday morning, Prompto’s milk was sour, and he was nearly out of eggs. 

For breakfast he ate dry cereal and tried to remember some of the things his mom had said could be done with sour milk. He wasn’t up to baking. He might be able to do pancakes, but he needed a recipe and was pretty sure they took too much extra time in the morning. Maybe he could do, like, pancakes for dinner, or something. But he didn’t have any bacon. 

And then he realized he didn’t have any flour, either. So much for that.

Prompto sighed. Then he got up to finish getting ready for school.

He hadn’t really been in touch with Noctis after school yesterday, because of his work shift -- and he got the idea from Noct’s grumpy complaints at school that there were Royal Things going on. He didn’t want to count on Ignis food if Noctis hadn’t said anything… so lunch would be a ham sandwich. Maybe. The package had been open more than a week. He gave the ham a good sniff to see if it was off. It smelled… hammy. It was probably fine. 

The bread was starting to get stale, but would be good for another sandwich at least. He checked the slices for mold. He didn’t see any right away, so he slapped a sandwich together, grabbed an apple, and was ready.

Noctis wasn’t at school. Which was fine. Prompto paid extra attention in the classes they shared in case Noctis needed his notes later. He ate his lunch alone, looking over his notes for History, and finished out his school day. He didn’t have a shift that afternoon, so he just headed home and studied until his eyes were falling out, and watched the late news (some major corporation layoffs, some shots of whatever royal thing Noctis had been up to, weather, sports) and then played video games until his phone reminded him that he actually  _ really did _ have school the next day and couldn’t stay up too late.

Friday morning rolled in and he had a little bit of dry cereal but still no milk. And the ham smelled extra hammy. In a not-good way. Prompto decided to bypass his sandwich for that day and… he’d make do. He had a couple apples left. He’d just take them. But that afternoon, for sure, he needed to go back to the food pantry and get more food. He had to. He wasn’t sure what Noctis was up to; there’d been complete radio silence since Wednesday night, and that usually meant Royal Stuff was still going on. 

When Noct didn’t show up to first period, Prompto wasn’t terribly surprised. He  _ was _ surprised, however, when Noct skidded to a stop in the doorway half-way through third period Trig, and was more than mildly concerned when a uniformed Crownsguard -- was that Gladio? -- stationed himself just outside the classroom door. 

“Welcome, Your Highness,” Mr. Scitus said, without breaking pace. “So glad you could join us.” 

He wasn’t even being sarcastic. Mr. Scitus was  _ never _ sarcastic. He just continued with his demonstration, scribbling the rest of the equation he was working on.

Noctis just waved, then slid into his seat behind Prompto. “Sorry, sorry!” he murmured to Prompto.

“It’s all right, dude,” Prompto said. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, just--” he glanced to the door, where Gladio was standing guard. “We had a  _ thing, _ you know, but then there was this protest? And then we got some rando calling in with some kind of threat and I ended up on lockdown--” 

“You two can catch up  _ after _ class,” Mr. Scitus intoned. “Be present for now.” 

“Sorry, Mr. Scitus,” they chorused, and buckled down.

Between classes, Prompto got Noct’s rambly short version. As exciting as Prompto thought “lockdown” should imply, the truth was actually pretty boring, the way Noctis told it. Waiting in a secure room in one of the towers, no access to electronic devices, surrounded by guards, no privacy… he was basically studying for hours, because that was the only thing he had that he could do. 

The short version lasted just long enough for them to get to the junction where Prompto turned to go to photography while Noctis hared off in a different direction-- but Noct grabbed his shoulder before they parted. “See you at lunch, alright?”

“Sure!” Prompto said.

At lunch Noctis launched into a longer story about the lockdown -- “I guess Insomnitech is laying off workers? But like my  _ dad’s _ not the reason their CEO took their severance pay and gave it to their shareholders as bonuses. He’s been working hard on laws to improve working conditions, you know? It’s not  _ his  _ fault some CEO’s a...” He tapered off when Prompto pulled out his apples and nothing else.  “Don’t you have anything else for lunch?” he asked.

Prompto gave a nervous chuckle. “Well, I was gonna bring a sandwich, but the ham didn’t smell too great so I decided not to risk, you know, food poisoning… and I didn't have time to do anything else.” 

Noctis muttered something under his breath, and then said, “Ignis didn’t have time to make anything for me because of the lockdown, and I was up at the Citadel so I just got a thing from the kitchens.” Then he pulled out his fancy boxed lunch and said, “Here.” 

“Noct, I couldn’t,” Prompto said, trying to push it away. 

“Hey, I can at least share, can’t I?” 

Prompto reluctantly agreed, but only because he knew how stubborn Noctis was likely to be about it. Noctis went off to the cafeteria to grab an extra set of silverware and then he and Prompto took turns taking bites of the perfectly-seasoned and beautifully-sliced Pork Cutlet on Rice. Noctis made Prompto take all the steamed broccoli (Prompto suspected ulterior motives; he  _ knew  _ how Noctis felt about veggies), but Prompto gave Noct one of his apples (insisted on it, even when Noct stubbornly said he should keep it) and they shared the super-rich brownie, which Noctis insisted was “too rich for me to eat all of anyway”. 

The food was  _ so good _ (as Citadel food always was) and even though it was just half a portion, Prompto couldn’t help leaning back with a satisfied sigh when it was all gone. “Thanks, Noct,” he said.

Noctis smiled. “No problem,” he said.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the day went without event, and when they were at last free, Prompto headed home -- but only after Noctis extracted a promise from him to come for dinner and Game Night. “Always!” Prompto said.

“Great! We’ll come get you around five; is that okay?” 

“Sure thing.”

That would give him plenty of time to run past the food pantry. And Noctis wouldn’t be there this time, so he wouldn’t have to explain himself. He ran the whole way home, tossed his things in a corner by the front door, quickly exchanged his school uniform for a navy-blue tank top and jeans, and grabbed the card for the pantry. Then he was out the door. If he played things right, he’d be back in plenty of time to get things put away before Ignis arrived.

Of course, that was assuming everything ran smoothly -- which it didn’t. The food pantry was a  _ mess. _

Turned out, with Insomnitech’s layoffs, there was a huge influx of immigrant-sector folks out of a job, and the food pantry was flooded with people. Most of them were families. The line at the front table was insane, and Prompto had to wait several minutes to get his list. The pantry staff was restocking shelves as quickly as they could, but patrons were pulling things off just as fast, and he had to wait for bread, and for milk, and several other things. By the time Prompto finally made it to check-out, he was really getting close to  _ too late. _

He thought if he hurried he’d still be able to make it back. His load was pretty heavy, though, and he was carrying three bags in each hand, plus a carton of milk. He thought he’d been careful -- and since he was only worrying about himself, he was sure he’d be okay. But when he jogged, the bags of food bumped uncomfortably against his legs. He didn’t want any of them to break, so he paced himself. 

When he pulled around the corner to his house, he breathed a sigh of relief to see the drive empty. He waddled up to the door and fumbled around to get a finger into his pocket to retrieve his house key -- but before he could reach it, a slick black sedan pulled up, its lights shining on him like spotlights, illuminating the Astrals in the Glade logo on the side of the bags. He met Ignis’s surprised eyes through the windshield -- and had only a moment before the back door of the car opened and Noctis stepped out. He looked furious.

Prompto gave a nervous laugh and then continued fumbling in his pocket for his keys. 

“Let me take those,” Noctis said, his voice tense, and he grabbed the bags out of one of Prompto’s hands so he could actually get a hand in his pocket. 

“Thanks,” Prompto said quietly, and let himself in the house as quickly as he could. He started to reach for the bags Noctis held, but Noctis pushed past him into the house. 

In fact, Noctis didn’t say anything to him for some time. He shucked off his jacket and helped put all the groceries away in silence. They were just about done before Noctis said anything. 

“Why didn’t you  _ tell _ me you were out of food?” he said. 

“Huh?” Prompto said intelligently. Honestly, he hadn't thought about it...

“I told you you didn’t have to go back to that place again!” Noctis said. “Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“Dude,” Prompto said. “Calm down.”

“I’m not going to calm down! My friend is starving, and he won’t let me help!’

“I’m not  _ starving _ , Noct--”

“Why?” Noct looked at him. “I said I would help. You’re not letting me.”

“You were gone! For more than a day! It’s not my fault I didn’t get through all my food before it went bad; you kept bringing me stuff! And I was fine until yesterday; then I ran out of milk… I didn’t want to bother you with stupid things like milk and ham ‘cause you were busy.”

“You could eat whatever you wanted if you were living at my place,” Noct muttered under his breath. Prompto almost didn’t hear it. 

“Wh...at?” He said.

“You could… come live with me.” 

Prompto blinked at him, not sure he’d heard correctly. “Live… with  _ you?” _

“Yeah.” Noct said with more confidence. “We could make arrangements. Couldn’t we, Specs?”

Then Prompto heard a noise behind him and whirled around. 

Ignis stood in the doorway. “We certainly could,” he said. 

“But… but I live  _ here!” _

“Yeah, practically alone,” Noctis said, gesturing at the empty living room.

“My parents just travel a lot...” As he said it, Prompto felt a dawning awareness of how things might look to his friend. “It’s -- it’s not what you think!” he started, but Ignis interrupted him.

“Prompto,” he said in his most gentle, most reasoning tone, “when do you expect your parents back?” 

“It’s looking like maybe five weeks.”

With a look of measured patience, Ignis said, “And how long have they been gone?”

“Uhh… four?”

Ignis opened his mouth to say something more, but Noctis cut him off with a growl. “They’re leaving you alone for nine  _ weeks?”  _ he hissed. “Without  _ money?” _

It was like something snapped in Noctis. He grabbed Prompto by the arm. “You’re moving to my place,” he said.

“What?” Prompto said, and pulled away. “I can’t do that!” 

“Well, I’m the prince, and I say you can!”

“Noct--” 

“Your parents are  _ dicks!” _

A sudden rush of fury took Prompto by complete surprise. “They are  _ not!” _

“But--”

“The money thing wasn’t on purpose! It’s not their fault! They were wiring me money for bills but then there was an embargo, thank you very much politics, so they haven’t been able to send me money for a couple weeks now and their return trip was delayed, and yeah, it’s getting a bit tight! If you really wanted to help me, you’d tell your dad to get his ass in gear and fix things so they can come back!”

The words kind of spilled out of his mouth before he could really think about them. He’d never been  _ angry _ at Noctis before, and it kind of terrified him… and then it registered what he had said.

It registered as he watched Noctis’s wide-eyed astonishment slowly change to tight anger -- his brows pinched together and he clenched his fists. 

Prompto took a deep breath, but his voice still came out small and shaky. “Noct, I’m--”

“Fine,” Noctis said, and stormed past him and straight out the door. 

Ignis watched the prince leave, then flashed Prompto one of his inscrutable looks and followed Noctis out, closing the door gently behind him. The sound it made -- the sound of Prompto’s only friendship crumbling around him -- echoed in the empty house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, this was supposed to be fluffy? I guess my hand slipped...! >_>


	6. When It All Comes Crashing Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Prompto feels bad.

For the first time in weeks, Game Night didn't happen.

Prompto paced. He tossed pillows. He put on a death metal playlist and rage-cleaned the bathroom. He ate a huge bowl of ice cream. He clung to his anger and ranted in his head. How  _ dare _ Noctis say that about his parents?? The absolute  _ nerve…!  _ The Argentums were only the sweetest people on Eos, and Prompto was pretty sure they’d saved his life. He had no idea where he would have been without them.

And Fancy-Pants-Prince Noctis could just  _ shove it. _ He had no idea what the working life was like. Prompto’s parents just… had a job that took them away a lot. That wasn't so hard to comprehend.

After an hour or so of this, the angry high faded and he felt drained. He put all the pillows back on the couch. He poked around in one of his desktop games. At seven, he remembered that he hadn't really eaten dinner yet (the ice cream didn't count) and pulled out sandwich fixings. He tried to remember what Ignis was supposed to be making tonight -- what he was missing. He stared at the bare bread on his plate.

He thought about what he'd said to Noctis. How insensitive it was.

When it came down to it, Prompto realized, Noct probably saw his dad about as much as Prompto saw his own parents. Having a king for a dad wasn't fun and games; Prompto saw that just about first-hand.

Suddenly he didn’t want a sandwich.

He slumped into a corner of the couch instead, and started browsing the streaming services… but nothing really caught his interest, and he just. Browsed.

It hit him about ten o’clock, when he finally stood up to stretch his legs. He wasn’t playing games with his friend on a Friday night. Instead, he was home alone, waiting for weeks to pass so his parents could come home, and he’d just angered his only friend enough that Prompto really wondered if they were even friends anymore. 

Prompto dropped to the floor like a marionette cut from its strings. What had he done? 

The tears started. Because of course they did; because Prompto couldn’t keep anything he was feeling off his face. He wiped them away as they fell, but couldn’t get them to stop. He managed to make it to his bedroom where he flopped onto the bed without changing into pjs and curled around his pillow. 

Prompto stayed like that all night. He may have slept, but he was pretty sure he mostly didn’t. When the first light of dawn illuminated his bedroom window, he couldn’t take it anymore and got up. 

He didn’t feel better. In fact, he maybe felt worse. Prompto had hoped that Noct would text, but his phone stayed stubbornly silent… and at this point, Noct was definitely asleep, and unlikely to send him anything until nearly noon, if past trends held up. If he texted at all, which he probably wouldn’t, because they weren’t friends anymore. Prompto picked up his phone from where he’d dropped it before he fell into bed, and glumly examined the empty notification bar on the way to the bathroom. 

He thought he should probably text. He was beyond wondering who should apologize first; he just wanted his friend back. He wanted his  _ normal _ back. He didn’t want to feel like he’d messed everything up. He had to fix this.

He set the phone on the vanity counter while he used the toilet, and spent the whole time thinking about what he should say. Once he had washed up, he picked his phone up again and carefully thumbed (and then erased) “sorry” and “don’t be mad at me” and “forgive me”; none of that was good enough. Finally, as he pulled a bowl from the cupboard for his cereal, he typed, “we gotta talk; i need to apologize” and took a deep breath and sent it.

He had just picked up the box of cereal to pour his breakfast when a familiar “kweh kweh!” sounded… and that’s how he discovered Noct’s jacket, pooled in the seat of the dining chair next to him. He slowly set the cereal box down and picked the jacket up. He fished Noct’s phone out of the pocket. 

This… was not good.

How had Noct not noticed he didn’t have his phone? He practically lived with it! Except… he mostly used it to communicate and play games with  _ Prompto.  _ Well, and Ignis and Gladio, too -- they were always texting about Royal Things. In fact, there were plenty of security reasons why Noctis was supposed to have it on his person  _ at all times… _ and now he  _ didn’t. _ And it was Prompto’s fault.

Prompto’s chest tightened with dread. Hopefully Noct wouldn’t accuse him of having  _ stolen _ it… And wasn’t  _ that _ a cheerful thought… It wasn’t Prompto’s fault Noct had left it behind -- except it kind of  _ was _ , actually, because Prompto was the one who’d said that awful thing about the King (omigosh the  _ King, _ how could he have said that to  _ Noctis) _ and now that Noct wasn’t his friend anymore, the prince could take it into his head to  _ punish Prompto _ for being so rude and before Prompto could let his thoughts spiral any further he poured his milk and ate his cereal mechanically even though it tasted like dust in his mouth. When he was done, he carefully rinsed his bowl and put it in the dishwasher and then pulled out his own phone and took a deep breath.

What could he do? He couldn’t exactly text Noct that his phone was here. And at this point, he wasn’t sure he’d be welcome if he showed up on Noct’s doorstep. And not just because it was way too early in the morning. He’d basically insulted the crown prince to his face and was likely persona non grata right now.  _ Extra _ persona non grata, since he was the thief who had Noct’s jacket and phone. 

‘It’s not like I  _ took _ them,’ He reminded himself -- but that didn’t help his mood much.

The next best (worst) thing he could do was call Ignis or Gladio -- and that’s when it occurred to him that he  _ really could _ do both of those things, because Ignis had texted him and Gladio had given him  _ his  _ number. The slip of paper still sat by the phone, where Prompto had put it Monday night when he got home.

He weighed both options… on the one hand, imagining Gladio in all his ferocious indignation, and on the other picturing Ignis’s righteous disdain. They were both terrifying. And of course Ignis had been here when everything had gone down; had seen what a horrible mess Prompto had made of it all. But when it came down to it, Prompto’s memory of Gladio at the arcade nudged him toward Ignis. 

He quickly looked up the text Ignis had sent to get his number, and started thinking about what he should say. He vetoed several things before he finally settled on something -- then he changed his mind again. 

He didn’t want to talk to Ignis. But it was still pretty early on a Saturday… maybe Ignis wouldn’t be awake yet. Prompto thought maybe he could manage a text, and Ignis wouldn’t see it until he woke up; he’d have time to really nail down what he should say. He finally typed a quick “Noct left his phone and jacket here” and sent it before he could change his mind. Then he took a deep breath.

He would take a run, that’s what he would do. Staying at home moping wouldn’t help anyone. He shed his stiff day-old clothes and started pulling on some running shorts and a t-shirt when his phone rang. 

It was Ignis.

Because of  _ course  _ it was Ignis; he always got up at an obscene hour, to do who knew what. Prompto let it ring three times before he finally got up the courage to answer. Even so, he could only just squeak out his “Hello?”

“Prompto.” Ignis said. His tone was perfectly neutral.

“H… hi, Ignis,” Prompto said. It was still a squeak.

“Would it be all right if I dropped by your house?” Ignis asked. “I can be there in fifteen minutes.”

“S… sure. Uh.” Oh,  _ that  _ was intelligent. “Ah… about yesterday…”

“I think it would be better to discuss it in person, if you don’t mind.”

Oh. 

Yes, Prompto  _ did _ mind. The absolute last thing in the  _ world _ he wanted to do right now was talk to Ignis face to face about what happened yesterday. But it looked as though he wouldn’t have any choice. “O… okay,” he said.

“I’ll see you soon, Prompto,” Ignis said, and ended the call.

Prompto carefully folded Noct’s jacket and placed it (with the phone sitting on top) on a side table near the front door… and then spent the next fifteen minutes pacing the living room and quietly panicking. In a handful of minutes, Ignis would be at the door and he’d have to explain and apologise and Ignis would give him  _ that look _ that said he disapproved -- but it wouldn’t be more than mild, because Ignis only showed mild emotions to people who weren’t in his inner circle, and really, Prompto wasn’t an  _ inner circle _ person anymore because in order to  _ be  _ inner circle, he’d have to be actual friends with Noctis and not just someone who had been friends at one point and oh Astrals he was  _ doomed. _

It took the doorbell's ring to startle him out of the mental spiral. He took one shaky breath and then another and then grabbed the handle and pulled the door open before he could decide to pretend not to be home. 

Ignis stood there. Well-groomed and snappily-dressed, even this early.

“H… hey, Ignis!” Prompto gasped. He hesitated, and Ignis just looked at him. Prompto turned and grabbed Noct’s things from the side table. “Here,” he said, and shoved them towards Ignis. 

Ignis took them, gave them a quick once-over, then folded the jacket over his arm and slipped Noct’s phone into his pocket. “My thanks,” he said. Then, “May I come in?”

Prompto took his lower lip between his teeth for a moment, then said, “Ah, sure.” And pushed the door wide and gestured for Ignis to enter. 

Ignis toed his shoes off by the door and stepped into the living room slowly, glancing around as he did. 

“Have a seat,” Prompto said. “Can I get you anything?” Because he knew how to be a good host.

“No, thank you,” Ignis said, though he still sat down on the sofa. Stiffly, in almost the exact center. “I… shouldn’t keep you long; it’s pretty early.” 

“Y… yeah,” Prompto deflated a little, warring between relief and disappointment -- wondering if Ignis was turning down his hospitality because he was upset. 

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence while Prompto hovered near the couch and steeled himself. This was it… no more waiting. Better pull the bandaid off all at once and get it over with. 

“Look, ah,” he said, wishing his voice didn’t sound so high and panicked. “I dunno if Noct will want to talk to me, but… I feel bad about what I said. I never should have said that about his dad; it wasn’t fair… but now I just don’t know what to do. I mean, he was so mad he didn’t say anything when he left, but I was so mad and I said what I said without thinking and I didn’t mean it but now I don’t know what to do or if he’ll even want to talk to me or anything, and after you guys have all been doing all that nice stuff for me I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful because I mean I was just, you know, honored that you’d even think that spending time with a plebe like me was worth it and--”

“Prompto,” Ignis interrupted.

Prompto gasped. “Yes?” 

“We did what we did because we’re your friends,” Ignis said. “That hasn’t changed. And I think you’ll find that Noctis feels the same.”

“... Oh.” Prompto found that hard to believe, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to see Noct and confirm the truth.

“We may have made a few… assumptions,” Ignis said, “and for that I deeply apologize. I’m sure Noct had no intention of insulting you. I hope you understand.”

“Um. Okay.” Assumptions? A  _ few _ of them? 

Ignis sighed. “Noct had a late night last night, and it may be some time before he wakes… I will have him contact you later.”

A late night doing  _ what,  _ Prompto wondered. It should have been Game Night, but he’d ruined that. He knew what  _ he _ had been doing. How had Noct filled his time, since he didn’t have his plebe friend to entertain? …But he didn’t ask. Instead, he said, “Yeah.”

Ignis stood then and took his leave, and Prompto let him go without saying anything else. He’d said plenty, letting his mouth run off like he always did. 

Once he closed the door behind Ignis, Prompto sagged against it. He rubbed his arms and realized he was shaking. He took a couple deep breaths to ground himself. Then… he grabbed his keys and headed out. He needed a run. Maybe it would help him clear his mind.

It didn’t, really, but it still felt good to be moving, to make his legs maintain that steady pace through the neighborhood and down to the park, following the familiar walking trails. The regular impact of his feet against the pavement calmed him. The morning sun, just peeking through the buildings and leaves, warmed his shoulders and he let it comfort him. A little, at least. 

Prompto ran for an hour. Then he wove through his neighborhood on his way back home. As he rounded the corner near the Astrals in the Grove chapel he thought about the ice cream in his freezer and then  _ couldn’t stop thinking about it _ … he’d had some last night, but with his mood now, he thought… he’d just had a run, and he could spare another scoop, couldn’t he? 

Prompto warred with himself about it as he rounded the corner to his family’s duplex. He slowed to a jog and pulled up the hem of his t-shirt to mop his face. He let it drop and smoothed his shirt with a palm -- and then stopped in his tracks and stared.

On Prompto’s front stoop, wrapped in a puffy jacket, legs pulled up to his chin, sat the Crown Prince of Lucis.


	7. Putting the Pieces Back Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis and Prompto have a long overdue, much-needed chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm [on Twitter @avianscribbles](https://mobile.twitter.com/avianscribbles) and [on Tumblr @avianscribe!](https://avianscribe.tumblr.com/)

Noctis was the absolute _last_ person Prompto expected to see at his front door at seven o’clock on a Saturday morning. And the next-to-last thing he expected to see was the uncertainty written all over Noct’s face as he scrambled to his feet.

“Hey,” Noctis said.

“Noct…!” Prompto said. “What are you…?” He trailed off, not sure if he wanted to finish asking that.

“I, ah, woke up early,” Noct said, as if anticipating Prompto’s unasked question.

_“You?”_ Prompto said in a doubtful tone.

Noctis gave a grim chuckle. “Yeah…” His half-smile faded quickly. “Sorry about my phone. I, ah… I didn’t hear from you all night and I… I thought…” Noctis looked away. “But then Ignis brought my phone to me this morning. Told me where it was. I… Sorry I left it here.”

Prompto smoothed his shirt again, even though he didn’t need to. “I’m, ah, just glad you didn’t accuse me of _stealing_ it,” he said -- then thought maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say. “I mean--”

Noctis scrunched his nose in confusion. “Why would I do that?” he said.

Prompto laughed nervously and shrugged. “Ah, you know. ‘Cause I was an idiot and then I wasn't sure if…” _we'd be friends anymore after our fight._ He let his half-smile fade. He couldn't say that; He didn't want to make it real. Noctis was _here,_ and that was a _good thing,_ he tried to remind himself. It meant that -- maybe -- he hadn’t messed up _too_ much. He opened his mouth but Noctis beat him to it.

“Prompto… I’m sorry.”

Prompto blinked at him. His mouth worked soundlessly for a moment before he managed to say “Why? I’m the one who should apologize; I shouldn’t have--”

“No, please, you had every right to be mad,” Noctis said. “I’m really sorry for what I said about your parents. It wasn’t fair of me. Even if… what I’d thought… was true.”

“What you _thought?”_

Noctis sighed and looked away -- and Prompto realized Noctis was _blushing._ Was he embarrassed? “Yeah, I…” Noctis started, then fell silent.

Prompto eyed him. When his silence stretched a while, Prompto glanced around, searching the street for Crownsguard. Noctis couldn't possibly have come alone. That wasn't really safe. “You didn't come here by yourself, did you?”

“Ignis dropped me off,” Noctis said with a shrug. “He's around here somewhere; he said he wouldn't go far. He'll probably come check on me before too long.” Noctis sounded a little put out. Prompto knew how much Noctis resented being babysat. All the same, Prompto guessed that Noct probably shouldn't just stand outside for everyone to see. So he leaned down and pulled the spare key out from under the doormat.

“Let’s go in, yeah?” he said, and unlocked the house.

Noctis followed him in, a quiet shadow. The house was just as empty as ever. Prompto’s box of Wheaty-O’s still sat on the table where he’d left it. At least he’d taken care of the dishes...

“Want anything?” he asked half-heartedly, not really expecting Noctis to take him up on it.

He wasn’t surprised when Noctis said, “Nah.”

The prince looked around Prompto’s empty house, his face thoughtful. Prompto wondered what he was seeing, and if it was anything like what Prompto saw when he looked at it. A loving home, filled with good memories that his family eagerly made when they were home. His parents traveled so much that every return home was full of activities and together time. Prompto knew he was cherished. He hoped Noct would see it now, too.

“So,” he said, “what _did_ you think?”

Noctis flinched. “Well… It was just that… you were at the food pantry. And that didn’t seem right, because… your parents are researchers, right? They earn good money.”

“They earn enough,” Prompto admitted. “For what we need, anyway.”

“... and it just didn’t seem right for you to be, you know, having to go to the food pantry when…”

Prompto sighed. “Yeah, well… that was my first time there, like, ever.”

“Guess I was just lucky,” Noct said, with a half-smile.

Prompto's laugh was more than a little forced.

“So I just thought, maybe…” Noctis hesitated. “Maybe they were making you support yourself? But then, you know, Ignis saw you with that bruise on your chest and… I guess that really _was_ your bin falling on you, wasn’t it?”

“Wait, Ignis thought I _lied?”_

Noctis waved a hand. “Well, you know, that is something people do, when they’re trying to hide that they’re being…” He trailed off.

Prompto shook his head. “You know I couldn’t lie my way out of a paper bag.”

Noctis laughed, but it was half-hearted.

After an awkward pause, Prompto said, “So what did you tell Ignis?”

“Just that I saw you getting food at the pantry and I was worried about you.”

“What did Ignis _think_ was happening?”

“That you were being abused.”

Prompto gaped at him.

Noctis blanched and waved a hand. “I mean… I told him your parents were out of town, but I guess he thought… maybe you were being bullied, or something? Or someone else was doing it.”

Prompto rolled his eyes. “And then he…”

“Well, he thought you’d deny it if we confronted you about it, so he said we shouldn’t.”

Prompto tried to stifle a rising prickle of irritation. That his friends would just think up all this stuff without actually talking to him... He didn’t want to be angry, but they were worse busybodies than his landlady. Instead of spouting off like part of him wanted to, he pursed his lips and took a deep breath through his nose and let it out through his mouth. Yelling wouldn’t do any good at this point… and he didn’t want another night like last night.

“Anyway…” Noctis continued, “he just… suggested we help you out however we could. Like, it was his idea to make you lunches.”

Prompto snorted. “‘Course it was his idea. So it’s _his_ fault my ham went bad.”

Noctis had the grace to look embarrassed at that, and actually groaned. “All that good food and you had to throw it away,” he mumbled.

“At least I had it when I needed it,” Prompto said, and picked up the Wheaty-O’s box to put it away.

“And then you got more,” Noctis said.

“Yeah…” Prompto shoved the cereal in the empty cupboard and leaned against the cupboard door with his hand on the knob for a moment, not wanting to turn and face Noctis again just yet.

Behind him, he heard the rustling of Noct’s jacket. “So, ah...” Noct said thoughtfully. “We do actually want to help you out. What can we do?”

Prompto turned to face him. “Noct, you don’t have t--”

“But I _want_ to.”

“I couldn’t ask you to. I mean… I don’t want to take advantage.”

“None of us would think you were taking advantage.”

“But what if--”

“I’d be doing this because I _wanted_ to, not because you _asked_ me.”

Prompto wasn’t sure it wasn’t the same thing. It would still be a plebe asking the _Prince of Lucis_ for a favor. And that wasn’t why he was friends with Noctis.

His skepticism must have shown on his face, because Noctis sighed and said, “Look… I’m not going to make you move to my place, okay? Just… if things are tight for you right now, let me help. Please.”

Noct’s face was so earnest. Prompto wanted to believe it was okay, that he could get out of this bind and no one would think badly of him. That they wouldn’t judge him for taking advantage of his friendship with the prince. He thought of Ignis and Gladio, and how kind they’d been to him so far. He didn’t want to lose that.

Maybe. Maybe he could.

“All right,” he said at last. “First off… I’m not asking for money, okay?”

“Fine, no money,” Noctis said, but he didn’t sound happy about it. “But… don’t you have bills that need paying?”

“My parents already called the landlady to work things out for rent, so I’m fine there. And my job can pay for the utilities.”

“Your job, right,” Noctis muttered. “Okay. But what else?”

“The biggest thing I needed was food,” Prompto said. “You’ve already been helping with that.”

“Yeah…” Noctis rubbed the back of his head.

“That’s pretty much it.”

“But…” and Noctis looked around the empty living room again. “You’ve been living _here_. All by yourself.”

“Yeah…?”

“Don’t you get… you know… lonesome?”

Prompto squinted at him. “This coming from the guy who lives on his own in an apartment…?”

Noctis waved a hand. “I’m hardly ever alone there,” he said. “‘Cept at night.” His face took on a speculative look and he put a finger to his chin. “What if…” he said, then trailed off.

“What?” Prompto asked.

“Would you… liketostayatmyplace?”

The end of the sentence ran together so fast that Prompto didn’t understand what he’d said for a moment. When his brain finally parced it, he frowned. “Noct…”

“I don’t mean _move in_ , I mean just…” Noctis gestured weakly. “Come stay for a while. So you’re not alone. I’ve got that spare room. Ignis cooks for me all the time, so you won’t have to go back to the food pantry, and… you won’t be living in an empty house for five weeks while you wait for your parents to get back.”

Prompto’s heart swelled with sudden softness. Not only was Noctis not mad at him, he really _did_ want to help… Like, _legit_ help and not “help”. Then he had to brush at the sudden wetness in his eyes, and then Noctis was there with his hands on Prompto’s shoulders.

“Are you okay?” Noctis said.

“Yeah,” Prompto answered, trying not to think about how his voice wavered, or about Noctis’s gentle concern. He swallowed and gave Noctis a quivering smile. “I think I’d like that,” he said.

 

* * *

 

The “move” didn’t take long -- even though Noctis fell asleep on the couch in the time it took Prompto to shower. While Noctis slept, Prompto packed a day bag with pajamas and a couple changes of clothes. He’d stop by the house daily to check the mail, so he didn't need to pack a gazillion things.

Prompto had just rounded up his toiletries when someone knocked at the door. It was Ignis. Noctis had apparently texted him about their arrangement, if not the details of it. Ignis asked several questions clearly geared towards ensuring Prompto’s comfort during his stay at Noctis’s place. Prompto squirmed a little, but still answered as honestly as he could.

He let Ignis wake Noctis while he ran through the house gathering anything else he thought he might need: his school uniform for Monday, his books, his homework. When he came back into the kitchen, Ignis was handing a yawning Noctis the carton of milk from the fridge, and the package of ham. He'd already bagged the bunch of bananas and the loaf of bread.

“Shouldn’t let them go to waste,” Ignis said with a small smile. “The freezer and pantry items will last, but anything perishable should come with us.” Ignis was just smart about things like that. Prompto smiled.

Then he checked in with Mrs. B to let her know what he was up to, and suffered through a hair-ruffle while she told him to be smart and warned Noctis to “take care of this ball of sunshine”.

Prompto felt his face flush to his ears, but Noctis didn't seem to notice; just gave her a solemn “Sure will.” And then they were off.

The rest of the weekend was relaxed. Prompto, once rid of the stress of handling everything alone, revelled in spending time with his friend (and utterly destroying him at Marius Racer) and eating Ignis’s amazing food. Gladio came over Sunday afternoon and repeated his invitation to train Monday. They even roped Ignis into joining in a four-person racing marathon that lasted way too late for a school night -- and ended with Ignis demolishing them all.

“I didn't know Ignis played racing games,” Prompto said around his toothbrush while he and Noctis prepared for bed.

“Me either,” Noctis said.

 

* * *

 

Two weeks later, the embargo ended.

Prompto found out when his parents called to tell him they had just wired money into the account so he could resolve their outstanding payments with Mrs. B. They told him he didn’t have to rush, but to please do it soon (which meant he could finish his study session with Noctis before he took a trip to the house to take care of it). They didn’t like having things like that hanging over their heads -- and Prompto didn’t blame them. He promised to take care of it right away, and then they said their goodbyes.

As he slipped his phone in his pocket, he couldn’t help but notice the satisfied smile on Noctis’s face. “What?” he said.

“Nothing,” Noctis said, and scribbled again at his Trig assignment.

 

* * *

 

The next afternoon, Prompto’s mom called again, interrupting his homework-break-time round of King’s Knight. He stared at the incoming call notification blankly for a couple rings before he answered with a bewildered “Mom?”

“The embassy called this morning,” she said. “The permits came through and we can come back tomorrow!”

“That’s… that’s great news!” Prompto said. And it was, though he felt a little bit of a pang… His parents coming home meant the end of his extended sleepover at Noctis’s apartment, and staying with Noctis had been a lot of fun. Though he had a suspicion he would have to make up some school work at the end of it all, because he was pretty sure he was missing things.

“I’ll email the flight details later,” his mom said, and the chipper (and relieved) tone of her voice communicated so much.

Since they’d just spoken the day before, there wasn’t much more for them to talk about -- but towards the end, she said, “Why don’t you invite those nice boys over for dinner? We can give them a proper thank-you for taking care of you while we were gone.”

“I think they’d like that,” Prompto said. “But Gladio eats like a horse, so you’d better be prepared.”

His mom chuckled. “I’ll have Dad do his prized barbeque pulled-pork. That should be enough to feed everyone.”

Prompto’s mouth watered just _thinking_ about it.

The call ended and Prompto stared at his phone for several heartbeats. Then he squinted at Noctis.

Who studiously avoided his eyes, while also managing to look incredibly smug.

“Noooooct…” Prompto said. “You wouldn’t happen to know why there’s suddenly no embargo and my parents’ import permits for their research were expedited, would you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Noctis said, his voice neutral.

Prompto fought the impulse to slug Noctis in the shoulder. Instead, he groaned and fell sideways on the (rich, leather) couch. “Who’s going to believe I’m not abusing your friendship when you go and do things like _that?”_ he moaned.

“Do what? _I_ didn’t do anything.”

Prompto pushed himself back up. “You know what I mean.”

“Hey, you didn’t _ask_ me to do _anything._ So you’re in the clear. Besides… I think Dad likes you.”

Prompto squeaked. “But… _why??_ I haven’t even met him!”

“Yeah, well… I could fix that.”

Prompto’s sputtered protests had little effect on Noctis -- though after an impromptu wrestling match (that Noctis didn’t use his full strength for, Prompto was sure) Prompto thought he’d finally convinced Noctis that “meeting the King” was extremely low on the List Of Prompto’s Priorities.

 

* * *

 

That is, until the next morning.

Prompto was packing up his things so he'd be ready to go to his own house after school. He was still in pajamas -- he'd laid out his school uniform carefully on the bed, and he’d change into it after breakfast -- when there was a knock at the apartment door.

Prompto heard Noctis shuffle out to answer it, and kept packing. The curve of the hallway muffled whatever verbal exchange happened, and it wasn’t until he grabbed his backpack and lugged it into the living area for a quick morning study session while he ate breakfast that he realized Noctis wasn’t alone in there.

As soon as he entered, the King of Lucis, in a neatly-pressed button-up and slacks, stood up from the couch and smiled at him.

Prompto dropped his bag.

There were a hundred etiquette things that Prompto knew you were supposed to do when the King was in the room. He was pretty sure that _being in pajamas_ and _gaping like a fish_ were not on that list. When King Regis stepped around the coffee table and extended a hand, Prompto had just enough functioning brain cells to reach out his own. King Regis’s hands were dry and warm, in sharp contrast to Prompto’s cold, clammy ones.

“I’m so pleased to meet you, Prompto,” King Regis said. “My son thinks very highly of you.”

“... No problem,” Prompto said, with a shaky laugh and _omigosh that was NOT what you say to the King._ “Er… Thanks, your… Your Majesty.”

Could he just _die now?_

King Regis let go of his hand and smiled again, his eyes crinkling and kind. “I do hope my son has been a good host while you’ve been visiting.”

Because of _course_ the King would know that his son had a guest. He’d likely had to approve everything before Prompto even set foot through the door.

“Daaaad…” Noct groaned.

For a moment, Prompto couldn’t get his tongue to work. “G… great!” he finally stammered. “He’s been great!”

“I’m glad to hear it,” King Regis said. “If ever there is anything we can do for you, please… feel free to ask. If it’s within our power, we’re glad to do what we can.” Then he turned to Noctis. “And while I admire your generous spirit, I do hope your studies haven’t suffered for having a friend over every night.”

Noctis rolled his eyes. “We studied, Dad. Will you just _go_ now?”

King Regis chuckled and clapped a hand on Noctis’s shoulder. “I love you, too, son,” he said. Then, ignoring Noctis’s hissed _“Daaaad!”_ he started for the door. He paused and looked at Prompto as he passed. “Thank you for being a good friend to Noctis.” And he smiled again.

Prompto let out a nervous laugh. “Just glad he thought I was worth being friends with,” he said.

Then the King was gone. Prompto sat slowly down on the couch. Not where _the King_ had been sitting, because _no,_ but safely in the corner where he could sink in and disappear forever.

Noctis returned from seeing his dad (the King) to the door. “Sorry about that,” he said, and sat on the other end of the couch.

Prompto shuddered. Then he pulled himself together, as something King Regis had said registered. Something about Noctis's generosity. "Noct… Did you tell your dad about me?" Noct looked at him like he was crazy and he opened his mouth to say something but Prompto cut him off. "Not about _me_ me, but… about why I was staying with you."

"Well, yeah," Noctis said, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "He wanted to know why I asked to get out of my charity hours this last couple weeks."

"You didn't have to do that for me."

"Yeah I did." Noctis got that determined look on his face again -- like this wasn't something he could be talked out of. "I wanted to spend the time with you… you know, so you weren't at my house alone. That'd defeat the purpose of you staying here. And I didn't want to put in any more hours when I was already doing them. Besides, Dad made me sit through an impromptu lesson on international diplomacy and import permitting regulations. I think you should pity me."

Prompto stiffened. "Wait -- you're saying that… _I?_ Was your charity hours?"

"Yeah. And?"

Prompto had just enough self respect left to feel indignant. "Noct, I'm not some _charity case."_

"I know that. But I can let Dad think what he wants."

At this mention of the King, Prompto looked down at himself in mortification. “Tell no one. That I met. The King of Lucis. In my Marius Racer pajamas.”

When Noctis finally _(finally!)_ stopped laughing, he managed to say, “My lips are sealed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompto: “So why was your dad here by himself? Doesn’t he have, like, a security detail or something?”  
> Noctis: “He wasn’t by himself. I just made Clarus stay outside because I didn’t want him in here freaking you out.”  
> Prompto: “You _made…_ the King’s Shield… Clarus Amicitia… wait in the hall…”  
> Noctis: “.... yeah?”  
> Prompto: “how do I even know you”


End file.
